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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2016/mar/02/tony-abbott-flabbergasted-at-submarine-purchase-delay-politics-live
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| Bill Shorten asks Labor to endorse Pat Dodson to replace Joe Bullock – politics live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 10.35pm GMT | |
| 22:35 | |
| Bill Shorten: | |
| I want Labor to seize the moment. We should put aside the rough and tumble of the party system and give someone of Pat Dodson’s remarkable qualities the opportunity to serve as a senator. | |
| Dodson says some of the current problems with Indigenous policy is communities are outside the process. That needs to change. | |
| 10.32pm GMT | |
| 22:32 | |
| Shorten is telling reporters that he wants to take the opportunity of recruiting people of renown to politics. | |
| Bill Shorten: | |
| Pat Dodson’s CV speak s for itself. He is a person of unmatched intelligence, integrity and achievement. He’s nationally recognised and rightly admired as the father of reconciliation. | |
| 10.30pm GMT | |
| 22:30 | |
| Pat Dodson to fill casual senate vacancy for Labor @murpharoo @GuardianAus #politicslive pic.twitter.com/uTPNPk29uM | |
| 10.29pm GMT | |
| 22:29 | |
| Dodson says recognition in the constitution and future settlements b/w Indigenous and non-Indigenous Austns vital. @murpharoo | |
| 10.26pm GMT | |
| 22:26 | |
| Dodson says Shorten's call came as a surprise and "took some deep thought". @murpharoo | |
| 10.23pm GMT | |
| 22:23 | |
| The presence of Pat will bring credit to not just Labor, but the parliament, shorten days. @murpharoo | |
| 10.22pm GMT | |
| 22:22 | |
| The Labor leader is having a press conference downstairs with Pat Dodson, a prominent indigenous leader, at the moment. My colleague Shalailah Medhora is down there. | |
| Pat's decision to stand for Labor will be a win for Australia esp with unfinished business of reconciliation, Shorten says. @murpharoo | |
| Updated | |
| at 10.25pm GMT | |
| 10.20pm GMT | |
| 22:20 | |
| Bill Shorten asks Patrick Dodson to stand for the Senate | |
| Now here’s some news. | |
| Shorten to ask Labor to endorse Pat Dodson to fill Joe Bullock's vacancy @murpharoo | |
| Updated | |
| at 10.24pm GMT | |
| 10.17pm GMT | |
| 22:17 | |
| It was interesting last night on the ABC’s 7.30 Report that John Howard appeared quite ambivalent about the Senate voting changes. Well, actually not ambivalent. He thought the Greens the big winner, and in Howard’s estimation, that would be close to end times. | |
| Howard said he thought the proposal was ok. | |
| I understand the frustration of the public with, you know, like, the Motor Enthusiasts party and the preference whispering. | |
| There’s a but coming. You can hear that, right? | |
| John Howard: | |
| But people shouldn’t lose fight of the fact that the principal beneficiary of these changes is probably the Australian Greens and that is why the Australian Greens are so strongly in favour. | |
| So I hope this doesn’t presage some kind of understanding about preferences in House of Representatives elections between the Coalition and the Greens. | |
| (I hope the Liberal party director, Tony Basil Nutt was taking note. Nutt certainly didn’t rule out preference deals with the Greens at the forthcoming election during his appearance yesterday before JSCEM). | |
| 10.08pm GMT | |
| 22:08 | |
| My colleague Gabrielle Chan tells me JSCEM has supported the Senate voting reform bill, with a proposed amendment for optional preferential voting below the line. More on that shortly. | |
| 10.04pm GMT | 10.04pm GMT |
| 22:04 | 22:04 |
| Speaking of Senates, the fight over the government’s proposed reforms to voting procedures will be back on like Donkey Kong today. We expect a quickie report on the proposal from the joint standing committee on electoral matters to be tabled once the red room whirs into action. | Speaking of Senates, the fight over the government’s proposed reforms to voting procedures will be back on like Donkey Kong today. We expect a quickie report on the proposal from the joint standing committee on electoral matters to be tabled once the red room whirs into action. |
| 9.59pm GMT | 9.59pm GMT |
| 21:59 | 21:59 |
| Not one for the world game, Senator Bill Heffernan, strolling into work. | Not one for the world game, Senator Bill Heffernan, strolling into work. |
| 9.56pm GMT | 9.56pm GMT |
| 21:56 | 21:56 |
| Here are the combatants in happier times. Magic Mikearoo tells me there was a great deal of sportsplaining going on with a certain Senator who may or may not have been highlighted in my previous post. | Here are the combatants in happier times. Magic Mikearoo tells me there was a great deal of sportsplaining going on with a certain Senator who may or may not have been highlighted in my previous post. |
| 9.52pm GMT | 9.52pm GMT |
| 21:52 | 21:52 |
| Meanwhile, outside the building, bend it like ... Conroy. | Meanwhile, outside the building, bend it like ... Conroy. |
| 9.47pm GMT | 9.47pm GMT |
| 21:47 | 21:47 |
| To media reform now. Readers with me yesterday will know the government brought forward its media reform legislation. The practical effect of this legislation is the incumbent media companies will be permitted to get bigger and own assets across platforms. This could mean the Nine Network pairing up with Fairfax Media, or News Corp grabbing hold of the Ten Network. | To media reform now. Readers with me yesterday will know the government brought forward its media reform legislation. The practical effect of this legislation is the incumbent media companies will be permitted to get bigger and own assets across platforms. This could mean the Nine Network pairing up with Fairfax Media, or News Corp grabbing hold of the Ten Network. |
| Consolidation brings obvious challenges to maintaining a diversity of voices in an already concentrated Australian media market. But this morning on Radio National, the communication minister Mitch Fifield said he was “particularly untroubled” by people who worry about a lack of diversity as a consequence of the government’s proposed ownership deregulation. There were all those blighters chirruping away online, and there was the ABC, the communications minister noted, perhaps momentarily forgetting that the government cut the ABC’s funding. | Consolidation brings obvious challenges to maintaining a diversity of voices in an already concentrated Australian media market. But this morning on Radio National, the communication minister Mitch Fifield said he was “particularly untroubled” by people who worry about a lack of diversity as a consequence of the government’s proposed ownership deregulation. There were all those blighters chirruping away online, and there was the ABC, the communications minister noted, perhaps momentarily forgetting that the government cut the ABC’s funding. |
| The test invoked this morning for whether it was ok to deregulate was whether young people would understand the current restrictions. I laughed at that formulation, imagining the conversation with my 16 year old. “Love, are you happy with BuzzFeed and Junkee and Rookie?” “Yes, Mum, thanks.” “Love would you like an Australian version of Fox News on free to air television?” “Good times Mum, except which sad sods even watch free to air television?” You can see this is an interesting test: a valid one given children being our future and all that, but a less than comprehensive one I’d suggest. | The test invoked this morning for whether it was ok to deregulate was whether young people would understand the current restrictions. I laughed at that formulation, imagining the conversation with my 16 year old. “Love, are you happy with BuzzFeed and Junkee and Rookie?” “Yes, Mum, thanks.” “Love would you like an Australian version of Fox News on free to air television?” “Good times Mum, except which sad sods even watch free to air television?” You can see this is an interesting test: a valid one given children being our future and all that, but a less than comprehensive one I’d suggest. |
| The shadow communications minister Jason Clare told the ABC he has an open mind when it comes to ownership, however he noted (correctly) that most of the expansion of media activity online in recent years is the existing media companies exploring digital strategies, not new entrants. | The shadow communications minister Jason Clare told the ABC he has an open mind when it comes to ownership, however he noted (correctly) that most of the expansion of media activity online in recent years is the existing media companies exploring digital strategies, not new entrants. |
| Rather promisingly to my ear at least, Clare said he knew very well what the media companies wanted. (Media companies, I’d note by way of background, are never shy about rent seeking.) Now, Clare wanted to know what the Australian people wanted. He pointed to an upcoming parliamentary inquiry into the legislation as an opportunity for people to make their views known. | Rather promisingly to my ear at least, Clare said he knew very well what the media companies wanted. (Media companies, I’d note by way of background, are never shy about rent seeking.) Now, Clare wanted to know what the Australian people wanted. He pointed to an upcoming parliamentary inquiry into the legislation as an opportunity for people to make their views known. |
| Jason Clare: | Jason Clare: |
| I think it’s time the Australian people had their say. | I think it’s time the Australian people had their say. |
| 9.22pm GMT | 9.22pm GMT |
| 21:22 | 21:22 |
| Both the communications minister and the shadow communications minister have been on the wireless speaking about media reform. More of that shortly, but sticking with Joe Bullock, I gather Louise Pratt has her hand up for the Senate spot. Pratt was in the Senate before losing out to Bullock after a bruising preselection process in the west which caused all sorts of ructions nationally. | Both the communications minister and the shadow communications minister have been on the wireless speaking about media reform. More of that shortly, but sticking with Joe Bullock, I gather Louise Pratt has her hand up for the Senate spot. Pratt was in the Senate before losing out to Bullock after a bruising preselection process in the west which caused all sorts of ructions nationally. |
| The shadow communications minister Jason Clare has just told the ABC no-one need worry about the stampede of WA Labor MPs out the door. | The shadow communications minister Jason Clare has just told the ABC no-one need worry about the stampede of WA Labor MPs out the door. |
| Jason Clare: | Jason Clare: |
| We’ve got some good MPs in the winds ... there’s lots of talent in WA. | We’ve got some good MPs in the winds ... there’s lots of talent in WA. |
| Don’t you worry about that. | Don’t you worry about that. |
| 9.00pm GMT | 9.00pm GMT |
| 21:00 | 21:00 |
| Happy super (Wednesday) | Happy super (Wednesday) |
| Good morning good people and welcome back to politics live. Today will be hyoge (as Bernie Sanders might say.) As well as the million things on in our madhouse, it’s super Tuesday in the United States. I’ve broken out my Trump “Making America Great Again” mug to honour the milestone. | Good morning good people and welcome back to politics live. Today will be hyoge (as Bernie Sanders might say.) As well as the million things on in our madhouse, it’s super Tuesday in the United States. I’ve broken out my Trump “Making America Great Again” mug to honour the milestone. |
| Turning back home, two significant developments overnight. The Labor Senator Joe Bullock announced that he was bowing out of politics because he couldn’t support his party’s position on “the homosexual marriage question.” If this language seems a little quaint, some context. Bullock hails from the right wing “shoppies” union, a bloc within the ALP that leans socially conservative. | Turning back home, two significant developments overnight. The Labor Senator Joe Bullock announced that he was bowing out of politics because he couldn’t support his party’s position on “the homosexual marriage question.” If this language seems a little quaint, some context. Bullock hails from the right wing “shoppies” union, a bloc within the ALP that leans socially conservative. |
| Bullock told the Senate last night the 2015 national conference decision allowing Labor MPs a conscience vote on marriage equality for the next two parliaments, but then a bound vote after that, meant he had left the conference “shocked, alone and in deep despond”. | Bullock told the Senate last night the 2015 national conference decision allowing Labor MPs a conscience vote on marriage equality for the next two parliaments, but then a bound vote after that, meant he had left the conference “shocked, alone and in deep despond”. |
| Joe Bullock: | Joe Bullock: |
| How can I, in good conscience, recommend to people that they vote for a party which has determined to deny its parliamentarians a conscience vote on the homosexual marriage question – a question which I regard as having a fundamental significance to the future shape of our society? The simple answer is that I can’t. | How can I, in good conscience, recommend to people that they vote for a party which has determined to deny its parliamentarians a conscience vote on the homosexual marriage question – a question which I regard as having a fundamental significance to the future shape of our society? The simple answer is that I can’t. |
| Bullock says he was unable to campaign positively on a bound vote, therefore he was unable to remain a Labor Senator. He didn’t intend to trouser the prize (being the Senate spot) and not represent the Labor party’s position. Bullock’s departure basically clears the field for Labor in the west for the coming election. Three lower house MPs, Melissa Parke, Gary Gray, and Alannah MacTiernan, are also bowing out at the coming election. | Bullock says he was unable to campaign positively on a bound vote, therefore he was unable to remain a Labor Senator. He didn’t intend to trouser the prize (being the Senate spot) and not represent the Labor party’s position. Bullock’s departure basically clears the field for Labor in the west for the coming election. Three lower house MPs, Melissa Parke, Gary Gray, and Alannah MacTiernan, are also bowing out at the coming election. |
| Bowing out brings me back to Tony Abbott, who is currently inclined to strategic interventions, rather than dignified silence. It’s full tilt legacy activism right now. Yesterday we saw the extravagant fake compliments session in the Coalition partyroom – which was an effort by Abbott to drag Malcolm Turnbull back into line with his failed budget strategy. This morning he’s had a chat to Greg Sheridan, the foreign editor of The Australian, about submarines. | Bowing out brings me back to Tony Abbott, who is currently inclined to strategic interventions, rather than dignified silence. It’s full tilt legacy activism right now. Yesterday we saw the extravagant fake compliments session in the Coalition partyroom – which was an effort by Abbott to drag Malcolm Turnbull back into line with his failed budget strategy. This morning he’s had a chat to Greg Sheridan, the foreign editor of The Australian, about submarines. |
| Sheridan reports that Tony Abbott as prime minister had been determined to build the first new submarine by 2026-27, whereas last week’s defence white paper unveiled by Malcolm Turnbull delays the proposed build by at least half a decade, but more likely by nearly 10 years. | Sheridan reports that Tony Abbott as prime minister had been determined to build the first new submarine by 2026-27, whereas last week’s defence white paper unveiled by Malcolm Turnbull delays the proposed build by at least half a decade, but more likely by nearly 10 years. |
| Tony Abbott: | Tony Abbott: |
| I’m not just disappointed, I’m flabbergasted at this decision. | I’m not just disappointed, I’m flabbergasted at this decision. |
| Now a couple of points on this. One of the reasons for delaying the submarines acquisition will be budgetary: the delay has the handy effect of pushing the red ink out well beyond the current forward estimates (helpful when you’ve promised both a big increase to defence spending and fiscal restraint, something that’s hard to deliver in tandem). And wasn’t Tony Abbott in the party room yesterday urging Turnbull to deal with the current budgetary pressures by cutting spending rather than increasing taxes? Evidently some spending is more equal than others. | Now a couple of points on this. One of the reasons for delaying the submarines acquisition will be budgetary: the delay has the handy effect of pushing the red ink out well beyond the current forward estimates (helpful when you’ve promised both a big increase to defence spending and fiscal restraint, something that’s hard to deliver in tandem). And wasn’t Tony Abbott in the party room yesterday urging Turnbull to deal with the current budgetary pressures by cutting spending rather than increasing taxes? Evidently some spending is more equal than others. |
| Now let’s get cracking. The comments thread is wide open for your business. Magic Mikearoo and I are up and at ‘em on the twits. He’s @mpbowers and I’m @murpharoo | Now let’s get cracking. The comments thread is wide open for your business. Magic Mikearoo and I are up and at ‘em on the twits. He’s @mpbowers and I’m @murpharoo |
| Fly like an eagle. Here comes Wednesday. | Fly like an eagle. Here comes Wednesday. |